Study of Fruit Diversity and Selection of Elite Acid Lime (<i>Citrus aurantifolia Swingle</i>) Genotypes in Nepal
- 1 Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Dhankuta, Nepal
- 2 Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal
- 3 Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal
- 4 Horticulture Research Division (HRD), Lalitpur, Nepal
- 5 Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Lalitpur, Nepal
Abstract
Acid lime ( Citrus aurantifolia ) fruits are cultivated in terai, mid hill and high hill districts of Nepal. It is cross-pollinated crop and has a high variation in fruit characters within the species. Fruit character is the main basis of genotype selection. Study of fruit diversity is of utmost importance to select the elite genotypes for breeding and variety development program. Therefore, total of 620 fruit samples were collected and evaluated in the main production season of the year 2010 and 2011, from 62 bearing trees. Samples were collected from three agro-ecological domains, representing terai, mid hill and high hill areas of eastern Nepal. Elite landraces were selected on the basis of scoring fruit characters. High variation in vitamin C was observed between the terai (57.4 mg) and high hill (72.5 mg) samples. Amount of juice was 36.8% in mid hill and 44.1% in terai samples. Higher percent of juice and total soluble solids (TSS) observed in terai samples but tritable acidity (TA) and vitamin C was low as compare to high hills. There was significantly negative correlation found in fruit weight, fruit diameter, juice percent and seed number, whereas significantly positive correlation was in pulp and vitamin C, with altitude range. Total landraces were separated in five major cluster group. Variation in the level of similarity was observed among the cluster groups. The variability distance of fruit characters was highest in cluster group II (–17.45%) and lowest in cluster group V (58.5%). On the basis of scoring number of fruit characters, total four elite genotypes i.e. LD-49 from mid hills, LD-23 and LT-17 from higher hills and LM-44 from terai were selected for conservation, breeding and variety development purpose.
- Anonymous, “National Citrus Research Program,” Dhankuta, Nepal.
- P. P. Shrestha and S. K. Verma, “Development and Outlook of Citrus Industry in Nepal,” Proceedings of the 2nd National Horticulture Workshop, Katmandu, Nepal, 1998.
- MOAC, “Statistical Information of Nepalese Agriculture,” Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Agri Business Promotion and Statistical Division, Singh Durbar, Kathmandu, 2008.
- D. D. Dhakal, K. M. Tripathi and S. Bhattarai, “Marketing Survey of Lime and Hill Lemon in Nepal,” Journal of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Vol. 26, No. 2, 2003, pp. 107-106.
- D. D. Dhakal, T. P. Gotame, S. Bhattarai and H. N. Bhandari, “Assessmnet of Lime and Hill Lemon Production in Nepal,” Journal of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Vol. 23, No. 3, 2002, pp. 49-58.
- K. P. Paudyal and R. L. Shrestha, “Diversity Study and Selection of Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) Genotypes for Expansion of Production Period in Nepal,” Proceedings of the 4th National Horticulture Workshop, Katmandu, 2004.
- K. P. Paudyal and N. Haq, “Variation of Pomelo (Citrus grandis L.) in Nepal and Participatory Selection of Strains for Further Improvement,” Agroforestry Systems, Vol. 72, No. 3, 2008, pp. 195-204.
- D. P. Sapkota, “Characterization and Evaluation of Acid Lime (Citrus aurnatifolia Swingle) Landraces at Rampur, Chitwan Condition,” Thesis of Master of Science, 2006.
- S. Rangana, “Hand Book of Analysis and Quality Control for Fruit and Vegetable Products,” Tata McGraw-Hills Publishing Company Limited, New Delhi, 1995.
- B. C. Jonsan, “Methods of Vitamin Determination,” 3rd Edition, Inter Science Publisher, New York, 1966, pp. 282-287.
- K. C. Jagat Bahadur and B. K. Rai, “Determination of L- Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C),” Basic Food Analysis Hand Book, Nepal, 2007.
- G. S. Siddapa, “Quakity Standard for South Indian Citrus Fruit,” Indian Journal of Horticulture, Vol. 9 No.1, 1992, pp. 7-24.
- M. T. Jawaharlal, T. Thangaraj and I. Irulappan, “A Note on the Post Harvest Qualities of Acid Lime,” South Indian Hort, Vol. 40, No. 1, 1992, pp. 229-230.
- G. D. Subedi and H. J. Jacobsen, “Establishment of Tissue Culture Techniques in Citrus Species,” Proceedings of International Conference on “Biotechnology and Biodiversity” Katmandu, 2000.